April 1, 2016

Tanya's Daily Scoop
CURRENTLY TRAVELING TO: MOAB

I would like my own Spaghetti Tree!

Hi there guys!

Well today Elisa and I do a little TC tag teaming,
while she is on her way "somewhere" from her trip down in Florida; I'm on my way out of town to have an adventurous few days in Moab, Utah!

But before hitting the road and no jokes about it, I've got a couple of quick stops to make and a trip to the stables for a horseback riding lesson for Cosette.

​Now let me share with you some FACTS about April Fools that we first published last year (2015)...

15 Fun Facts for April Fools Day Around the World

1. April Fool’s Day was first known as “All Fool’s Day.”
2. It is believed that the tradition began in France when the Gregorian calendar – introduced by Pope Gregory XIII – was adopted in the 16th century. People who still continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1 instead of the new date which was January 1, were tricked and called “April fools”. 
3. There are other theories of origin as well. Some believe that the custom evolved from the pre-historic Feast of Fools festival. 
4. Another festival that has its influence on April Fool’s Day is the ancient Roman festival of Hilaria, which marked the resurrection of the Roman god Attis and was celebrated with great fanfare. 
5. The holiday became mainstream in England in the 17th and 18th century.
6. In England and Canada, interestingly, pranks are mostly permissible only during the first half of the day. 
7. In England, depending on where you live, instead of being called “fool” on April Fools’ Day, you could be called a “noodle,” “noddy,” “gobby” or “gob.”
8. In Scotland, the day lasts two days where the victims of pranksters are called gowks (cuckoo birds) and the second day entails pranks involving the backside.
9.  Italy, Belgium, France, and Quebec, Canada often refer to April Fools' Day as April Fish. Part of this custom is to attach a paper fish to someone's back as a joke, without being noticed. This is referred to as 'Poisson d'Avril'.
10. In Denmark April Fools is celebrated on May 1st and is called Maj-Kat.
11. In Spanish speaking counties such as Spain and Mexico April Fools is celebrated on December 28th the Day of Holy Innocents.
12. The 13th day of the Persian New Year known as Sizdah Bedar usually falls on April 1 or April 2 in Iran, and people have reportedly played pranks during this holiday since 536 B.C.
13. The earliest recorded association between April 1, pranks and foolishness can be found in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales which was written in 1392.
14. A Flemish April Fools’ tradition has children locking their parents or teachers from their homes/rooms, only letting them back in when they promise a treat.
15. In Poland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway the media will often publish a story that is false in honor of April Fools' Day.

Here are a few more interesting facts about this weird holiday:

• The earliest recorded association between April 1, pranks and foolishness can be found in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales which was written in 1392.
• In the United States, the pranks last all day, but in other countries they only take place until noon.
• April Fool’s Day is not an official holiday.

And as for one of the most memorable and elaborate pranks:

The spaghetti-tree hoax was a three-minute hoax report broadcast on April Fools' Day 1957 by the BBC current-affairs programme Panorama. At the time spaghetti was relatively little known in the UK, so that many Britons were unaware that it is made from wheat flour and water; a number of viewers afterwards contacted the BBC for advice on growing their own spaghetti trees. Decades later CNN called this broadcast "the biggest hoax that any reputable news establishment ever pulled". (wiki)

I personally love homegrown Spaghetti!!!

I'll have you know that I can at times be quite gullible, and have been fooled countless times on April Fools Day.

So just remember...
Be on the lookout and don't trust anything or anyone on April 1st.

Have a Great Day! See ya in Utah next!
​-T

Elisa's Daily Scoop
CURRENTLY TRAVELING IN: GUESS WHERE??

Spontaneous 
Trip to...Paris?

GREETINGS FROM PARIS!!!

Yes, you read that right!!  I know you are probably wondering how in the heck this came about!!

Well, all day yesterday, I was thinking about one of my absolute favorite places in the world -- Paris, France!

And I thought, "wouldn't it be the most amazing thing to just throw caution to the wind; not worry what anybody thought; took my kids and just spontaneously booked the three of us on a flight to Paris!!"

PARIS (c) travelincousins.com

So, that's exactly what I did!!  As it turns out, I had so many frequent flyer points in both mine and the girls' Delta Skymiles accounts that I didn't even have to pay a dime in cash!!

Once I got the three of us on an evening flight, I immediately went to Jetsetter.com, which had an amazing deal on one of the most fabulous hotels right near the Louvre - my favorite section of the city!!!

As a result, I'm writing to you right now from the Hôtel Le Pradey.  Both kids and I have a full day planned with our first excursion to the Eiffel Tower. We are going to eat crepes and croissants later this afternoon and enjoy a a wonderful French dinner at Au Chien Qui Fume on Rue du Pont Neuf!!!

I am so, so excited!! I never did anything like this in my life!!

And did I mention...April Fool's!! I just couldn't resist!! Please forgive me - I hope I had you going!!

Very funny story -- I let my kids read my blog last night as I was writing it - to trick them as well - and the both of them began to actually lose it because they believed I had really booked the flight, for last night, which would cause them to miss horseback riding tomorrow.

I have to tell you...I was blown away by how they both were angry and even began to cry!!! I can't even fathom being sad and upset about going to Paris!!! These kids are really wacky!  I just don't see how they are related to me!!

If I had been surprised at their age with a spontaneous trip to The City of Lights, I would have jumped for joy!

Getting back to reality...I am getting on a flight today, and it is Delta, but it's not to Paris (insert sad face).  It's to return back home to New York.

As much as I would have loved to stay down here in the sunny Sunshine state, I'm kinda looking forward to getting back to the routine of our daily life.

​Tonight will be calm and just hanging out, unpacking, and getting a good night sleep.

Back to our usual Saturday at the barn tomorrow, followed by some pampering in the afternoon with the three of us gals getting our hair cut.

I'm off folks -- enjoy your April Fool's Day!

-E
xoxo